Before we dig into our passage, I want to first deal with a question that is often asked: “Why didn’t Paul call for abolishing slavery?”
Observation #1: Though Paul didn’t condemn slavery, he didn’t condone it either.
Observation #2: Paul doesn’t offer a theological rationale for slavery, like he does for marriage (see Ephesians 5:21-33, where he says marriage reflects the relationship between Christ and the church), which indicates Paul didn’t see slavery as an institution established by God, as is marriage and family).
Observation #3: Paul’s main concern was to provide perspective on how Christians should live in an unjust society. Like Jesus, he never tried to subvert the Roman political. He didn’t engage in social protest or lead a revolt against the evils of the institution of slavery. Why?
Reason #1: Christians had no power to overthrow slavery. Christians were an insignificant group in the Empire. Their religion was unlawful, and they were politically powerless. They resided within the Roman empire, not the good ol’ US of A, where we have freedom of speech, assembly, and opportunity to elect leaders that reflect our values. But even with the freedoms we enjoy, as Christians, we find ourselves in the definite minority in our country on certain issues, too.
Reason #2: Christians worked within the system to bring change. A good example is the letter written by Paul while in prison, to Philemon in regards to his slave, Onesimus, who had stole from his master and run away to Rome, where he met Paul and became a believer. It is a personal appeal to Philemon, a fellow brother in Christ to forgive and restore Onesimus who had become very dear to Paul. Paul urges him to forgive Onesimus. Paul had explained the Gospel to Philemon and led him to Christ. He not only wanted Philemon to forgive Onesimus, but to consider sending him back to Paul, to help with his ministry. Paul sent Onesimus (“useful”) back as a slave - as he was required to do by Roman law (Onesimus was someone else's property, not his to set free) - but with the request that Philemon set him free to return to help Paul.
Reason #3: Christians believed the best way to reform society was to transform individuals by the power of the Gospel.
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes.” - Romans 1:16a (NIV)
God tolerates evil in this world to allow more people to come to Christ.
“He is long-suffering (extraordinarily patient) toward you, not desiring that any should perish, but that all should turn to repentance.” - 2 Peter 3:9 (Amplified)
Who’s God patient with? With unbelievers, so they might have more chance to repent. But He’s also patiently waiting for believers to see that our focus needs to be on seeing people transformed by the power of the Gospel and through that, transform our world!
Christians should have more faith in the power of the Gospel than we have in the power of the government. That being said, in the wonderful country we live in, we should take advantage we can to work toward social justice, but ultimately, trust in the power of the Gospel.
“While we cannot defend the indolence or cowardice of Christian centuries which saw this social evil but failed to eradicate it, we can at the same time rejoice that the Gospel immediately began even in the first century to undermine the institution; it lit a fuse which at long last led to the explosion which destroyed it.” - John R. W. Stott
Let’s now turn our attention to what Paul says here, and apply what he teaches us about the Christian and their work. (READ TEXT)
1. Instructions to slaves (employees) - 3:22-25
A. The manner of the Christian’s work - v. 22
1) Do your work completely - v. 22a
A prospective employer told a job applicant, “I’m sorry, but I can’t hire you. I don’t really need anyone right now. There just isn’t enough work to keep you busy.” The applicant said, “That’s OK. You’d be surprised how little it takes to keep me busy.” You don’t want to be that guy. You want to be the guy, who does like my dad told me: “Always do your job plus a little bit more.”
2) Do your work consistently - v. 22b
It’s been said that integrity is who you are when no one is looking. Be a person of integrity at work. Be the kind of person who aims at consistency. It’s better to be good consistently than great occasionally.
3) Do your work committedly - v. 22c
Make your work an act of worship. It’ll change everything!
I once had a man come to me saying how he hated his job and was terribly unhappy. I showed him this passage, encouraging him to see his job as a way to serve God, rather than just a way to earn a living. The next time I saw him, he said he did as I’d encouraged and was the happiest he had ever been at work!
“The shop, the barn, the scullery, and the smithy become temples when men and women do all to the glory of God!” - Charles Spurgeon
Businessman Henry Haskins said, “Don’t be like a wheelbarrow, which has to be pushed all the time and is easily upset.”
B. The motive behind the Christian’s work - vs. 23-25
1) The faithful will be rewarded - vs. 23-24
2) The slothful will be recompensed - v. 25
When we think of works for which we could be rewarded, we often think of selfless acts of service in church or in society. But Paul says we’ll also be rewarded for our conduct in the workplace. Ann Landers said, “Great opportunities often come disguised as hard work.” Well, the opportunity to serve the Lord and glorify Him is there is our workplace. How sad to squander our opportunity to be rewarded one day for our faithfulness, but instead to be repaid for our slothfulness by ending up having a saved soul, but having lived a wasted life.
A man was talking with his dentist friend who was sharing about a family came to him with their teeth in horrible condition and how he had fixed them. Then, with a tinge of despair in his voice, he sighed and commented, “They’ll be back next year with their teeth just as bad as they were today.” To which he friend said, “That bothers you?” “Yes,” he said. His friend asked: “Why does that bother you? When they come back you will make all that money again.” Then his dentist friend taught him a profound lesson about the biblical view of one’s work: “That is not why I do it.”
Why do the best you can at your work? Because the Lord will reward you one day. And He will also reward you today.
“He who is willing to rolls up his sleeves, will seldom ever lose his shirt.” - Dr. Tom Cowan
“Lazy hands make for poverty, but diligent hands bring wealth.” - Proverbs 10:4 (NIV)
“Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper.” - Proverbs 13:4 (NLT)
2. Instruction to masters (employers) - 4:1
A. The manner of his leadership - v. 1a
1) He should do right by his workers. Give them something to work for - a sense of pride.
It’s been said that we should “Aspire to inspire before we expire.” As an employer, you have an opportunity to inspire your employees to have a sense of pride in their work.
2) He should be fair to his workers. Give them something for their work - a decent wage.
B. The motive behind his leadership - v. 1b
Whether we be the employee or the employee, we will all give an account of how we lived our life one day to the Lord.
Conclusion: Once upon a time, there was a little red hen who scratched around the barnyard until she found some grains of wheat. She said, “If we plant these grains of wheat, we will have bread to eat. Who will help me plant it?” “Not I” said the cow. “Not I” said the duck. “Not I” said the goose. So the little red hen said, “Then I will.” And she did.
The wheat grew tall and ripened into glorious grain. “Who will help me reap the wheat?” asked the little red hen. “Not I” said the cow. “Not I” said the duck. “Not I” said the goose. So the little red hen said, “Then I will.” And she did.
At last came time to bake the bread. “Who will help me bake the bread?” asked the little red hen. “Not I” said the cow. “Not I” said the duck. “Not I” said the goose. So the little red hen said, “Then I will.” And she did.
She baked five golden loaves of bread and held them up for her neighbors to see. They all wanted some. In fact, they demanded some. But the little red hen said, “No, I can eat the five loaves myself.” “Excess profits!” cried the cow. “Capitalist leach!” screamed the duck. “I demand equal rights.” yelled the goose. And they painted “unfair” picket signs and marched around the little red hen’s chicken coop shouting bscenities.
When the government agent came he said to the little red hen, “You must not be greedy.” “But I earned the bread,” said the little red hen. “Exactly,” said the agent. “That’s the wonderful free enterprise system. Anyone in the barnyard can have as much as he wants. But under our modern government regulations, the productive workers must divide their products with the idle.”
So they continued to live together in the barnyard, including the little red hen, who smiled and clucked, but her neighbors wondered why she never baked any more bread.
In know that in these uncertain times, I know the kind of silliness described in this little modified story of the little red hen seems to be happening more and more. And if you think we have stupidity at work in this country, you should try working and living in some others. But the fact is, our motivation for work is not that we are rewarded by the government or even by our employer, but by the Lord.
